Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris said he has been amused by the reaction to his comments describing the new 2026 cars as fun to drive, after rival Max Verstappen offered a sharply contrasting view.

Four-time champion Verstappen, speaking during pre-season testing in Bahrain last week, said his new car — ushering in a fresh engine era for the sport — felt like “Formula E on steroids” and was not particularly enjoyable to drive.

Norris, who ended Verstappen’s streak of four consecutive titles last season with McLaren, took a different stance. The Briton suggested that if Verstappen was unhappy, he could “go and find something else to do.”

The exchange sparked lively debate online about how the revamped cars will perform this season and how both drivers and fans will respond to the changes.

“I just didn’t want to come out to the media and complain to everyone on the first weekend back,” Norris told reporters during testing on Thursday.

“It’s been quite an amusing week seeing the reactions. It’s certainly made a lot of people comment and say a lot of things, which has been pretty funny. I just wanted to see everyone’s reaction.”

Norris acknowledged that the new cars feel very different compared to last year’s machinery and are “absolutely not” as enjoyable in some respects.

“Is it still a challenge and good fun out there? Yeah,” he said. “I’m certainly not going to change my job for anything else.

“I still have fun and it’s still the job that I love to do. But it’s certainly very different.”

Verstappen had quipped that Norris was sitting in a small pop-up tent compared to others sheltering under a larger canvas when asked whether the paddock was split into two camps over the new regulations.

The Briton responded that he actually agreed with many of Verstappen’s observations.

“Probably most of the comments I agree with, but it’s not that I don’t have fun out there,” he added.

The new season gets under way in Melbourne on March 8.